Anna Herrmann reaches 1,000 career points as Hinckley-Big Rock tops Indian Creek

SHABBONA – All Anna Herrmann needed was one point, but the shot just wouldn’t fall.

Finally, 2:24 into Monday’s Little 10 Conference game against Indian Creek, the Hinckley-Big Rock junior guard connected on a free throw, giving her 1,000 career points.

After that, the floodgates opened for Herrmann in a 29-point, 10-rebound performance that lifted the Royals past the Timberwolves 65-38.

“It was literally just any point,” Herrmann said. “I just needed one. And I went into the game, I never have been so nervous in my life. I couldn’t stop shaking. I finally hit and I could breathe. I was like OK, let’s just focus on winning now.”

The Timberwolves (3-6 overall, 2-3 LTC) kept things close for a half, trailing 30-26 at the break. But the Royals (9-5, 5-0) scored 21 of the first 25 points in the third quarter to take control.

And they did it for a good chunk of the third without Sami Carlino, who picked up her fourth foul less than halfway through.

Still, both Herrmann and coach Bob Barnett said getting the inside-out game going worked in the third quarter.

“We were not feeding it inside to Sami,” Herrmann said. “Our team is really focused on feeding in inside. When we utilize both Sami and the 3-point shooters, it works well for us. We started doing that.”

Despite missing long stretches, Carlino still finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Royals were also without forward Raven Wagner.

The Timberwolves were without head coach Paul Muchmore due to a family obligation. IC athletic director Ehren Mertz coached the team, his first time on the sidelines in 18 years since he was an assistant under Muchmore.

“They kept trying to push Carlino out which is a hard thing to do,” Mertz said. “They kept flying out at Herrmann and she kept hitting the shots. Not much you can do about that.”

Izzy Turner finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves.

Barnett and the Royals used a box-and-1 in the first half to try and contain Turner but had to switch away from it because of the team’s foul trouble.

“They ran that box-and-1 for a while and then they took it off,” Mertz said. “That’s just me not doing this for 18 years. Took a while to get back into it.”

Barnett, in his first year coaching the girls at Hinckley, coached and taught Herrmann’s parents Scott Herrmann and Emily Herrmann at H-BR during his first stint at the school.

Barnett took over for Doug Brewington. While both systems push the pace, Barnett stresses the inside-out game.

“This is exciting for her,” Barnett said. “She’s used to the past regime where it was run and shoot. But she’s adapted well to what we’re trying to do and she’s bought into it. They’ve all bought into it which helps me help them.”

Mia Cotton had 14 points, four rebounds and three steals in the win for the Royals. Madison Boehne led the Timberwolves with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Herrmann had three steals and was 6-for-18 from long range after missing her first five 3-pointers.

Now that she’s reached 1,000 career points, she said she’s shooting to end up in the Top 5 all-time in school history and pass her aunt, Suzanne Fisher as well as securing family bragging rights.

“This is my main goal that I’ve been working towards,” Herrmann said of the 1,000 points. “It really means a lot that I hit that mark.”